MoH traces people in contact with 243rd COVID-19 patient hinh anh 1The 243rd COVID-19 patient's travel history from March 8 to April 4. (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) -
The Ministry of Health (MoH) has issued an urgent notice to trace all people who had close contact with the 243rd COVID-19 patient, a 47-year-old man, from Hanoi’s Me Linh district.

The man went to Quang Ba flower market in Hanoi on many mornings, including 3.55-6.30am on March 8, 2.30-5am from March 14, 1-5am on March 22 and 23, 3-6am on March 25, 2-6am on March 26 and 2.30-6am on March 27.

He visited the Department of Allergology and Clinical Immunology of Bach Mai Hospital from 8.30-10.30am and 11-12pm on March 12.

He had lunch at a restaurant at number 31 on Lane 75, Giai Phong street, opposite Bach Mai Hospital, from 10.30-11am on March 12.

He went to Me Linh flower market on National Highway 23 in Hanoi from 3-5.41pm on March 12, 11am on March 15, 2.30-3pm on March 18, 10-10.30am and 3-4pm on March 22, 5-6pm on March 26, 11pm on March 27 and 11-12pm on March 30.

He visited Phuc Yen Obstetrics Hospital in Vinh Phuc province’s Phuc Yen district at 8am on April 4.

The man visited Hanoi Obstetrics and Gynaecology Hospital at 929 La Thanh street in Ba Dinh district at 11am on April 4.

The Ministry of Health requested all people who were at these areas during the mentioned time frames immediately contact local centres for disease control and prevention for guidance on health monitoring.

The patient was confirmed to be infected with COVID-19 on April 6 and the source of his infection is still unclear.

He took his wife to the Bach Mai Hospital for a health examination on March 12 and returned home the same day. The couple had lunch at a restaurant opposite the hospital and did not return to the hospital.

On April 4, he took his wife to the Hanoi Obstetrics and Gynaecology Hospital in Hanoi for examination without declaring that he and his wife had visited the Bach Mai Hospital on March 12 as per the requirements of the Ministry of Health.

This failure to declare resulted in 63 doctors and nurses from the Hanoi Obstetrics and Gynaecology Hospital being put in quarantine at the hospital on April 6.

On April 7 morning, a neighbour of the 243rd patient in Ha Loi village was confirmed as the 250th patient after having tested positive for the disease.

The village was subsequently quarantined./.
VNA